What About Us
by that tanned idiot
Summary: Small moments between Thor and Loki leading up to the movie, from when they were children to when they began to feel the differences and the crack between them. Non-slash.
1. Rough Love

_**A Note:** I hope that you enjoy this little collection of moments. Feedback is always great :)_

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Thor in any way. And even if I had the choice, I would much rather own Loki..._

_._

"Mom!"

Thor curled his upper lip up, bearing teeth to Loki who was quickly scurrying away and calling out.

"Come back here you coward!" the blond yelled with all the air in his little-boy lungs before he was off himself.

Loki had meant it as a little trick, something that would make his older brother snort in laughter, but this was going too far. He looked behind and yelped lightly as he saw that Thor was advancing on him faster than he had expected. The predatory look on Thor's face did not help Loki's hopes of appeasement either.

With his attention behind him, Loki did not see the looming persona of their father around the corner before it was too late. He hit the metalic plating of Odin's stomach at full speed, creating a ring that echoed around the hallway. Loki toppled down a moment later with a soft 'oof' of protest.

Thor was around the corner not a second after and was, for once, not so foolish to make the same mistake as Loki.

"Now what are you two boys up to?" Odin asked as he crouched down and ruffled both boys' hair, making Loki wince as his head was still sensitive from the collision.

"Loki tricked me!" Thor said with determination; "Just look at what he did!"

Thor pointed to his eyebrows, or at least, where his eyebrows _had_ been.

"They're singed right off, now aren't they? How did you manage that, Loki?" he asked in clear amusement.

The dark-haired youth felt his chest swell in pride for a moment, ignoring Thor's glare aside of him.

"It was not hard, father," Loki said with a smile growing; "I just had to suggest moving closer to the hearth and with a simple spell, the fire picked up."

With Loki focused on their father, Thor took the opportunity to sneak up behind. With swift hands, he grabbed Loki at the junction of his neck and shoulders and pinched hard, making Loki yelp for a second time and attempt to shy away. Yet Thor kept his grip, making it impossible for Loki to shrug him off.

"That's enough," Odin said with a sigh, although there was a smile beneath his beard. The boys ignored him as usual.

As if they were only a few pounds each, he picked both his sons up and hauled them up on his shoulders, successfully ending the rudimentary fight. It only lasted for a few moments though, until Thor was leaning over Odin's head and tugging on Loki's ear.

"One day you boys will stop fighting," Odin said with another hearty laugh.

"Not a chance," Thor said with a wickled grin full of teeth and brotherly love.

Loki easily grinned back before pulling on a lock of golden hair, satisfied at the yip it brought from Thor.


	2. Brothers Are Bothers

Loki had just been minding his own business, walking along with corridor and listening to his light footsteps while contemplating a potion, when there was a sudden pull on his collar. It took him into the shadows and he felt an icy jolt of fear, or until he saw the blue eyes.

"Thor!" Loki snapped as he pushed his brother away.

"I need you to stay quiet!" Thor said as he looked around the corner again; "I can't let father find me."

Loki crossed his arms and huffed lightly before giving into his curiosity and asking, "And why not?"

Thor looked up at him with a cheeky grin and slight blush.

"You broke something again, didn't you?" Loki asked with amusement.

"I didn't mean to!" Thor whined.

Loki shook his head, ruffling dark hair, before he crouched down to Thor's level. "What did you shatter this time? Hopefully not an ancient, irreplaceable relic again?" he asked in interest.

"Well, it's not broken," Thor said as he twisted his fingers together, "I just kind of...dented father's helmet."

Loki slapped a hand to his face, dragging it down before looking over to his brother in rejuvinated disbelief.

"I thought you would be smart enough to not touch his reviered helmet, but I suppose not!" Loki hissed.

"Come on, it looks so cool! You can't deny you want to try it on too!"

Of course Loki wanted to wear it, it was the crown of this realm and was a symbol for all the power he could have. But those thoughts of ability were brushed away when he saw the jittery state of Thor again.

"How bad?" Loki asked with a sigh.

"I dropped it, it was heavy," Thor said with a miserable face; "One of the horns got bent."

"And you just left it on the ground?" Loki asked.

Thor looked up again with that pathetic face of guilt.

"Alright, come on," Loki said as he stood.

"Go where? Father is going to _bring lighting_ on me," Thor said.

"This won't be that hard to fix," Loki said thoughtfully, already thinking of the spells needed.

"Really?" Thor asked with a sudden leap of glee.

"Yes, really," Loki snorted; "Who do you think I am?"

"I think you're the best brother in all the realms!" Thor said with a grin, throwing his arms around Loki and giving a vicious hug. When he finally let go, Loki was sure that a few of his ribs were now fractured. Thor truly had the ability to break things.


	3. It Takes Two

Loki looked up and watched as his brother darted under a man who was was centuries older and feet taller.

He had always been prone to books and expanding his constant, hungry curiosity of how things, especially Asgardians, worked. Loki believed there was more style and accomplishment in throwing them down with words and wits. In contrast, Thor had always been one for action and weapons, of throwing people physically down.

Thor ducked under his shield with a wince even before the sword hit the disc with a clang; Loki knew he hated to defend.

Suddenly there was a break call and this round of sparing ended. Quickly Thor jogged over to Loki, who already had his attention back to his tome.

"Well?"

Loki looked back up with a soft smirk. Even if Thor was dimwitted, he had enough brains to know that Loki was good at finding weaknesses. Even if Loki was not the one directly exploiting the weakness, it was always interesting to see someone crumble with so little pressure.

"His left knee is weak, you can see the old battlewound scar," Loki said over the pages of text; "Hit him there and he'll be down and open."

"Can always count on you," Thor said with a strong grin and even stronger punch to Loki's arm.

Loki gave a weaker smile back, feeling the resulting sting of the punch in his arm.

Thor followed the advice and soon he had his dulled practice sword on the master's neck, basking in the glow of victory.

Loki rolled his eyes before turning back to his book, but he was distracted yet again as Thor gave a punch to the same spot on his arm.

"We make a good team, don't we?" Thor said, that silly grin still on his face.


	4. Praise In Your Name

Thor watched as Odin clapped Loki's back, almost propelling him into the ground. But somehow Loki kept his footing, his grin splitting his face as he looked up at their father.

Of course their father would be happy for the dark-haired youth; he had just graduated to yet a higher tier of education with barely any years on him and with outstanding ability that had made many of the educators turn their heads. And for once, Thor felt a surge of jealousy towards his younger brother. Thor knew Loki had always been smart, had always been a genius, but this was so much.

Later that night, Loki looked at the golden placard with affection, running his skillful fingers down the glass plating. Thor, feeling his jaw tighten, went up and swept it out of Loki's lap.

Right away his green eyes darted up and narrowed; "Give it back, Thor."

"I do not see why this is so important. Why use your brain when you can use your strength?"

"You are just a boy still," Loki said, annoyane beginning to trickle into his voice, "What are you aware of about strength?"

"Well... you're younger than me!" Thor yelled back; "What do _you_ know about _anything_?"

Feeling a spike of anger, Loki lashed out in an attempt to grab at the the certificate that helped validate all the effort he had put in. All the time he had secluded himself in his search for knowledge, away from Sif or any of the others he had once, years ago, been friends with. He just loved reading and learning, why was Thor suddenly so angry with him about it?

"Why are you so great?" Thor asked with a rising voice, "I can beat you with my hands tied behind my back!"

Loki felt the sting of tears behind his eyes; he always hated being reminded of his weakness. For the All Father to have a son who hated battle and lacked bravery in heaps; it was shameful.

"I am strong!" Loki argued back; "Just not in your way! We are simply different!"

"That's right, we are different," Thor said in a lowered voice, causing Loki to stop his struggling for the moment. Thor looked up at him then, his blue eyes big on his boyish face as he said, "I am more like father."

Loki felt himself frown and for a few tears to fall before he launched himself again at Thor.

It did not take that much effort for Thor to pin down Loki, and as the younger boy felt the cold of the floor seep into his face and body, he began to cry.

Thor had realized that even warriors weep, but he always believed that Loki did it a little too much. But then again, Loki was always one to get too emotional. The blond thought he would finish up soon and then begin his struggles agian, but all Loki did was sob.

Thor felt the acute stabbings of guilt and quickly got off him. Loki slowly sat up in response and barely had time to rub the tears away before Thor grabbed him again, hugging him tight against him.

"I am sorry," Thor said over Loki's shoulder; "You are great and I... Father was so proud."

"Really?" Loki said as he sniffed, his hands cautiously lifting to circle around Thor as well. "Father seemed enthused?" he asked tentively.

"For being so smart you sure are stupid, brother," Thor laughed as he moved to frame Loki's face with his hands.

A smile finally broke out over Loki's face.

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**A Small Note:** I see that (even without many reviews) there are a lot of hits and so people have been reading my little story. I just wanted to say thanks for your time :)


	5. Little Talks

Thor sighed as he re-read the same passage he had been attempting to rationalize for the last (he glanced up at the clock again) hour now.

He knew that the Warriors Three and Sif were off in one of the nine realms having only Heimdall-knows-what fun without him. Thor just had to be unprepared for this foolish history evaluation and then to be demanded of so much detailed analysis that he was vulnerable to-

"You were contemplating that same page the last time I passed," Loki's cool voice interrupted Thor's rambling thoughts.

"I just do not see how past interactions with the Earth realm have much significance," Thor huffed.

Loki gave a light hum before taking the text-book from Thor; "I am knowledgeable in this material."

"You are studying it now?" Thor asked in interest, knowing Loki was never-ending in his readings.

"I became aware this ages ago," Loki said with a dramatic roll of his eyes and sigh; "I would have expected the same of you from father's endless tales."

Thor gave a frown and his eyebrows furrowed. Loki knew that look, it was the one when Thor became stubborn, and so stupid.

"Let me aid in your comprehension of it?" Loki asked with a delicate smile.

Thor looked up with some skepticism.

"You will not lie to me again, right brother? Because it was not amusing when I previously believed frost giants were actually yellow and not blue."

"That was years_, decades_ ago, brother," Loki said, hiding a smile from how gullible Thor had been, and still truly was.

"Still occurred," Thor argued.

"You must know that I have tired of tricking you. Me outsmarting you is equivilant to you outweighing me," Loki said as he ran a hand through his slicked back hair.

The metaphor made Thor grin before he threw an arm around Loki's neck, dragging him down.


	6. All the Places

Thor was always one for conquering and Loki noticed that this evolved from just swords and weapons to women as they grew older.

Loki could understand the initial appeal of women with their soft skin and whispers. But once the layers of skin were pealed away they were just as controlling and manipulative as war generals. He knew that even his mother Frigga, who he believed was one of the kindest women, was able to control his father, the strongest being. To have that ability meant she was anything but harmless.

But like all other danger, Thor was oblivious.

The god of mischief rolled his eyes as yet another girl came up to the table, eyelashes fluttering and lips pouting as she asked for a dance. Thor readily accepted and allowed himself to be led on the floor, but not before giving a thumbs-up to Loki. Loki gave a little wave of disinterest in response.

"What an immoral, idiotic _cur_," Sif muttered darkly next to Loki as she slammed down a goblet.

Loki looked over before propping his chin on an upturned palm, his eyes calculating the large amount of annoyance and clear glare.

"Green does not look as fetching on you as me," Loki commented.

Sif turned her eyes to him and he almost recoiled under the intensity. Yes, women were quite dangerous.


	7. Drink Drank Drunk

Thor felt a laugh rip through his chest as watched Fandral and Volstagg attempt to wrestle each other. Hogun watched with silent judgement as Sif hummed lazily from her reclined position on a couch.

The blond knew that his father would not be happy when he discovered quite a few barrels from his private vault were no longer there, but Thor never did care for consequences that could be ignored until they finally rolled around.

Suddenly Volstagg lost his footing and he tumbled down, bringing a flustered Fandral down with him. The sudden clammer caused Sif to jump up from her lounging state, her dark hair disheveled but eyes still wide and alert. Again, Thor felt the laughter ripple out from his mouth. Yet it was cut short as a figure appeared at the entrance of the room.

"Loki!" Thor exclaimed in excitement, knowing that lanky form anywhere.

The dark-haired youth swept into the room, his arms crossed behind him and an eyebrow high as he studied the situation.

"Come be merry us!" the blond continued juberantly as he lifted a goblet, the red liquid sloshing out to drip down his fingers.

Loki gave a delicate sniff before turning away, saying, "I do not desire to have my mind muddled tonight."

Thor lowered the glass as well as his smile; "It is just _fun_, brother."

"I will find my amusement elsewhere," Loki said before he was out of the room as quickly as he had come.

Sif snorted in a very unladylike fashion before taking a swig herself. A moment later she said, "That guy needs to relax."

"He just needs to find a soft body to lie next to," Fandral said.

"Are you offering?" Volstagg asked.

Fandral gave a squawk of protest before finding the strength to flip Volstagg onto the ground and then dive in on top of him, successfully knocking the red-head's air out of his chest.

Even though this created laughter among the four, Thor looked back to the door frame and frowned. He wished Loki would get along with his friends.

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_**A Passing Note:** Thanks for all the reviews, faves, alerts and overall support everyone :)_


	8. Blackout Babe

Loki looked all around the ball in boredom. Everyone was always much too refined at these functions, careful how to act with Odin's ever watchful eye so close. Loki would have to fix that at the next one, concoct a spell where glasses never emptied of alcohol.

"Have you seen Thor?"

Holding down a sigh, Loki looked up to see Sif. He did blink in shock at seeing her so cleaned up and beautiful with her hair pulled to the right and coming down in a cascade of soft curls. There was also a bright red, the color of fresh blood, painted on her lips that caught Loki's attention.

"I have not," Loki easily lied. Sif's hopeful eyes lost a little luster before she went away and Loki grinned as he knew how to make this party much more interesting.

Getting up with a bow to his father, who nodded in response, Loki followed Sif. In a moment, he appeared not as his thin, green eyed self, but the blue-eyed, built persona of his brother.

He easily caught up with Sif, who visibly brightened when Loki gave a smoldering smile.

As he led her to the dance floor, he rationalized that he had never taken Thor's appearance to trick a woman to this degree. Yet the consequences of this were too much to pass up. He had known Sif was in love with Thor for endless years, ever since they were kids and running around with sticks instead of swords. It was a great weakness, a great opportunity for exploitation.

Sif quickly melded her body against his, and when Loki leaned down to give her a deep kiss, she did not protest. In the throngs of dancers, it was hard for anyone to see their actions.

"Our secret," he whispered before he disapeared, knowing that Thor might appear with his booming voice calling for the music to be louder. That closet he was stashed away in with that nameless pretty girl could only hold him for so long.

Sif gave a nod, her eyes now dazed.

It only took until the next day for Sif and Thor to be arguing, one saying that he must have lost his memory while the other said she must have been delusional. It was great how Thor was helplessly clueless, Sif as fierce as ever and the Warriors Three left out and confused as to why the two were so angry with each other.

It then took Thor and his little posse a good month to figure it all out, and by then Loki had had great amusement from the tense drama. It helped in dealing with the sting of Thor's punch and Sif's kick.

The little fiasco also salidified the distaste Thor's friends had always had with him, but Loki did not care.


	9. Always

Thor would always have the charisma, have the golden color that their society radiated. It was in everything about him, from the hair on his head to the words that he spoke to rally those around him.

Loki also knew that he was not like Thor. He was not similar in that caring, open persona that people seemed to flock to. Loki was crafty and his eyes were shifty, always wanting to see everything around him. Even though he made such effort to be offhanded and to only drift in and out, unimportant and so unnoticable, people knew. They had that odd ability to just know that something was not always right with him. Loki knew he was seen as too sly and too smart to be ignored.

But not Thor, he could not be ignored for another reason. Thor was not to be unseen for his looks, for his ability and for his potential. Even though he was stubborn and blind to everything around him, Thor did not care. It was further infuriating how it always worked out for him, that Odin would turn his judgement away because Thor was his first son and heir.

And that was comforting for Loki, to know that even as those around changed, Thor was still the same when they were kids. But the situation and the world were not the same as they were young. Loki was not the same he had been.

He no longer had the raw hope of being ruler; Loki now knew it would not come so smoothly as it would come for Thor. He remembered the little, playful spits they had on who would truly be the one sitting on that chair of gold, holding their father's staff. Daily life was no longer playful anymore, even though that was what Loki just wanted. He was just playful, just joking.

But even he, the ruler of mischief, could not joke with the prospect of the situation around him.

He desired praise, of favor. Presently it seemed Thor was the only one who deserved recognition for what he did in battle when Loki was busy solving mysteries of the realms. He wanted to compete against Thor, to finally win, but it was beginning to seem so helpless now.


	10. A Little Lost

"Brother."

His voice was so deep now, so full of conviction.

"How may I assist you, Thor?" Loki asked as he turned, his cape flapping with the sudden jerk of movement.

"Father has decided," he said as he lowered his eyes the slightest bit, as if he was ashamed of the outcome. Loki knew he must truly be overjoyed. But Thor had always been considerate to him, even in his most densest moments.

"I am surprised it has taken this length of time," Loki said as he crossed his arms; "Everyone knew it was inevitable."

"That is-"

"Be rational, brother," Loki said with a small smile; "Father favors you."

"He loves you just as much," Thor argued with fervor.

"But they," Loki paused to nod towards the glowing golden society below them, "believe you are fit."

"If-"

"Stop," Loki interrupted again, his eyes closing softly; "It is simply my nature. How do you expect to change the core of who I am?"

Thor was silent now, and slowly he lowered his head to stare at the marbled floor. The hand that held his winged helmet tightened, threatening to crack the metal.

Loki took a few more breaths, telling himself to calm down, before he turned to leave. His cape ruffled again, and this made Thor's head snap up in attention.

"I am not aware, not yet," he said just before Loki turned out of sight. Thor continued with, "Yet just because I am ignorant to the answer now does not mean I will forever be void of it!"

Loki paused and frowned, both at the naivety of Thor and at the sudden surge of hope his statement instilled. How was the usually ignorant blond suddenly so aware of the situation? Loki did not care to ponder on it much longer as he left.

"I will always love you brother! I will never forget you!" Thor yelled, but Loki was gone and the words were left unheard.

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_**A note of ending:** Well, that's it folks. Thanks for taking time for my little story and hope you enjoyed it :)_


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